Most intervertebral implants or intervertebral disk prosthesises used currently comprise a joint, the articular surfaces of which are made from metal, polymers or ceramic materials. The articular surfaces remain usually dry, due to which the service life of the implant may be impaired. In addition, due to the limited rotational movement of the parts of the joint, mounted superposed in a sliding manner, the tribological properties are of importance.
EP-B 0 193 538 to Marnay et al. discloses an artificial acetabulum that is fitted with a fluid chamber to improve the tribological properties of the articular surfaces. A disadvantage of this implant is that the fluid chamber is enclosed, so that no body fluid can be absorbed from outside the chamber. Furthermore, if body fluid does penetrate into the fluid chamber, for example through fissures from the outside, body fluid may accumulate in the enclosed fluid chambers. Due to lack of circulation the pH value of this accumulated fluid may drop, resulting in a possible chemical attack on parts of the implant. In addition, the enclosed fluid chambers, which are connected with the external surfaces of the implant through such fissures, may exhibit an undesirable pumping effect caused by the relative movements of the parts of the implant.